Two conservative Democratic congressman who aligned with Republicans during last years budget fights and broke to the right on a host of other issues were defeated in primary contests Tuesday in Pennsylvania.

Congressmen Tim Holden and Jason Altmire, both members of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, were swept out of office by Democratic primary voters who opted for candidates who were more clearly critical of corporate abuses and right-wing policies.

One thing that distinguished Holden and Altmire was their support for the Republican balanced-budget amendment in 2011a vote that put them at odds with the vast majority of Democrats in Congress. The GOP proposal sought to make deep cuts in Medicare funding and in support for education and healthcare initiatives.

Holden was defeated by northeastern Pennsylvania trial lawyer Matt Cartwright, a proud Roosevelt Democrat who placed himself in Paul Wellstones Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party. Cartwright ran with strong support from the League of Conservation Voters and other groups that objected to the incumbents following of the corporate line on environmental issues such as fracking. While Holden, the dean of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation, cast a critical vote against the Democrats healthcare reform proposal, his challengers campaign declared: Matt would have supported President Obamas Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. He remains dissatisfied, however, that it did not go far enough to expand health care coverage for more Americans and hold insurance companies more accountable for what they charge families.

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Well, here we go.

The left whines about the Tea Party extemists and they turn around and do the same thing. I guess, in one way I am happy. This should wake up the right to the fact that the liberals are only interested in one thing.

Two conservative Democratic congressman who aligned with Republicans during last years budget fights and broke to the right on a host of other issues were defeated in primary contests Tuesday in Pennsylvania.

Congressmen Tim Holden and Jason Altmire, both members of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, were swept out of office by Democratic primary voters who opted for candidates who were more clearly critical of corporate abuses and right-wing policies.

One thing that distinguished Holden and Altmire was their support for the Republican balanced-budget amendment in 2011a vote that put them at odds with the vast majority of Democrats in Congress. The GOP proposal sought to make deep cuts in Medicare funding and in support for education and healthcare initiatives.

Holden was defeated by northeastern Pennsylvania trial lawyer Matt Cartwright, a proud Roosevelt Democrat who placed himself in Paul Wellstones Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party. Cartwright ran with strong support from the League of Conservation Voters and other groups that objected to the incumbents following of the corporate line on environmental issues such as fracking. While Holden, the dean of the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation, cast a critical vote against the Democrats healthcare reform proposal, his challengers campaign declared: Matt would have supported President Obamas Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. He remains dissatisfied, however, that it did not go far enough to expand health care coverage for more Americans and hold insurance companies more accountable for what they charge families.

***************************************

Well, here we go.

The left whines about the Tea Party extemists and they turn around and do the same thing. I guess, in one way I am happy. This should wake up the right to the fact that the liberals are only interested in one thing.

My guess is that she was glad to see these two go. After all, how can you manage a push towards total government takeover of everything imporant when you have people in your party who tend to the center.

Washington - On Wednesday evening during markup of Chairman Paul Ryan&#8217;s proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Budget in the House Budget Committee, U.S. Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration, offered an amendment calling for a balanced approach to deficit reduction that includes both spending cuts and tax reform. The amendment received bipartisan support from members of the House Budget Committee, falling just one vote short of passage.

&#8220;To responsibly address our fiscal challenges, we need a budget that puts all options on the table and takes a rational, comprehensive approach to deficit reduction,&#8221; said Rep. Shuler. &#8220;Crafting a balanced budget that puts our country on a long-term fiscally sustainable path cannot be done along party lines, and I was encouraged to see both my Democratic and Republican colleagues come together in a show of support for my amendment. This is a step in the right direction for achieving meaningful, bipartisan compromise down the road.&#8221;

Since January 2011, Rep. Shuler has been working to reach a long-term deficit reduction solution with the &#8220;Go Big&#8221; Coalition, a bipartisan group of more than 150 House and Senate Members from across the political spectrum. Rep. Shuler and other leaders of the &#8220;Go Big&#8221; Coalition are currently in the process of crafting a comprehensive deficit reduction package based on the recommendations of the Bowles-Simpson Fiscal Commission. This legislation is expected to be completed by early spring.

&#8220;Over the past year the &#8216;Go Big&#8217; Coalition has made tremendous progress in bringing Democrats and Republicans together on the issue of deficit reduction, and last night we saw promising signs that even more Members of Congress are ready to embrace a balanced, bipartisan approach to fiscal reform,&#8221; said Rep. Shuler. &#8220;I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reach the comprehensive deficit reduction solution we need to put stability back in the economy and move our country forward.&#8221;

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Well, PA will do it's part to make this less plausible.

Instead, we will have one more hack in there trying to shut down the Boeing plant in S.C.

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